Folding egg-crate.



UNITED Sterns Mmm rrrcn.

VILLIAM lV. GERNSEY, OF NORTH HARVEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOFRANK L. DE LA MATER, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

FOLDINGI EecCRA-rn.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 679,309, dated July30, 1901.

Application filed October 6, 1900. Serial No. 32,248. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM W. GERNsnv,

a citizen of the United States, residing at North Harvey, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful FoldingEgg-Crate, of which the following is a specification. I This inventionrelates to improvements in egg-crates; and the object is to provide asimple and improved construction of crate which may be compactly foldedfor shipment when empty, the various parts being so constructed andarranged that the crate may be assembled or folded quickly and readilyand may be secured in either of said conditions.

With the above object in view the invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction hereinafter fully described, particularlypointed out in the claim, and clearly illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a crate embodyingmy invention, the same being shown assembled with the cover removed;Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same with thecover in position; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal sectional view of thesame, and Fig. 4 an end elevation.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, Pdesignates the bottom, having a frame consisting of the side bars Q andthe end bars R, formed as part thereof by bending up its sides and ends.S designates the side pieces of the crate, which haveattheirendstheinwardly-turned anges S', which at their upper ends areformed with slots T. These side pieces have their lower edges wired, theends of the wires extending through and secured in the end pieces of theframe, thus pivoting the side pieces. The side bars of the frame havethe longitudinally-extending grooves U formed therein to receive thewired lower edges of the side pieces.

V designates the end pieces of the crate, which at their lower ends arewired, with the ends of the wire extending through and secured in theside bars of the frame, so as to pivot said end pieces to the frame.When said pieces are swung outwardly in assembling the crate, they abutagainst the end bars of the frame and against the anges of the sidepieces of the crate. Said end pieces carry the pivoted locking membersIV, which when said end pieces are swung outwardly extend through theslots in the flanges of the side pieces of the crate.

X designates the cover, having its sides and ends turned at right anglesto form side flanges X and end flanges X2. The end flanges are formedwith slots X3 to receive the locking members W' when the cover is usedupon the assembled crate, said locking members being turn ed downwardly,as illustrated, thus securing the side and end pieces and the covertogether. The end pieces of the frame convey the pivoted locking membersY, which are used to lock said cover in positionwhen the crate isfolded.

The crate is provided with a central partition Z, having its lower edgewired, the ends of the wire projecting through and pivotally secured inthe side iianges of the bottom, said partition being retained in uprightposition by the coacting hooks and eyes Z and Z2, carried by the sidepieces and bythe partition.l

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A folding crate comprising a bottom piece having end and side flanges,side pieces hinged to the upper ends of said side anges and havinginwardlyextending slotted end flanges, end pieces pivoted at their lowerends tothe bottom piece on the inner side of the end flanges thereof,and when assembled abutting against said end flanges and the end iiangesof the side pieces and each carrying pivoted locking members projectingthrough the slots of the end fianges of the side pieces, and a coverhaving slotted end flanges to receive said pivoted locking members,substantially as described.

WILLIAM W. GERNSEY.

Witnesses: v

CHAs. L. DAIDsoN, A. E. BEEBE.

